Weekly FishingReport

Windy conditions on the Great Lakes were preventing boat anglers from getting out. The waters of Lake Michigan turned over with the strong winds and fish were caught closer to shore in 40 to 80 feet. Salmon runs are just getting started and will only get better as the temperatures drop.

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Had good perch fishing with several anglers reporting limit catches. Anglers are using minnows on perch rigs, crappie rigs and spreaders in 22 to 24 feet near Buoys 1 & 2 of the River Raisin, 20 to 23 feet near the E-Buoy and in 23 to 25 feet off Stony Point. Perch anglers also caught white perch, freshwater drum, and a few walleye. Shore anglers at Sterling State Park caught bluegills, largemouth bass and freshwater drum on crawlers. Those bow fishing the marsh and lagoons at Sterling harvested longnose gar and carp. Shore anglers at the Hoffman Memorial access site on La Plaisance Creek caught bluegills and sunfish on crawlers and jumbo panfish with worms under a bobber or drop-shotting.

Detroit River: Anglers were starting to catch some decent yellow perch around Celeron Island and Sugar Island. Those doing the best were using emerald shiners. Those jigging have caught a few walleye. Smallmouth bass can be found throughout.

Oakland County: Some good size bluegills were caught in deep water on Union Lake. Anglers did best floating a wax worm or drifting crawlers. On Cass Lake, fishing overall has remained steady with pike, walleye and bass caught around the shallow weed lines and the sunken islands. For smallmouth, try top water baits along the flats in the early morning. A few good catches of panfish were also reported.

Lake St. Clair: Water temperatures were 74 degrees in shallow water and 70 out deeper. Smallmouth bass have been caught near the mouth of the Detroit River when casting soft plastics, in 10 to 15 feet around the Mile Roads and the stretch from the Clinton River Cut Off launch when casting purple or golden shiner tube baits. Largemouth bass were caught in six to 10 feet around the Mile Roads. Yellow perch fishing was decent out by the St. Clair Light and Buoy 31 in 18 feet while still-fishing with perch rigs and emerald shiners however move around to locate schools of fish. Large muskie were spotted in four to eight feet around the spillway near the Clinton River Cutoff. These fish are not biting but those caught were taken on white lures because of the murky water. Channel cats were caught when drifting crawlers on the bottom. Bluegills were caught just outside the canal to Metro in 10 feet while casting lead head jigs with wax worms in the weed beds and around docks. On the north end, walleye were caught when trolling a crawler harness from the mouth of the Clinton River to Strawberry Island but check your line constantly to keep the weeds off.

St. Clair River: Northern pike have been caught in the Middle Channel in 10 feet with rattle traps and spinners around the docks and weed beds. Anglers have caught smallmouth bass at the mouth of the North Channel.

Harbor Beach: The water was stirred up but once it settles back down anglers will want to try 80 to 135 feet near the color lines for steelhead. Use bright colored spoons in 160 feet. For salmon, try spoons 25 to 90 feet down. Lake trout were hitting on dodgers and spin-glo’s near the bottom or spoons 60 to 120 feet down. Blue, green orange and purple were good colors. A few walleye were taken on spoons, thunder sticks and crawler harnesses in 50 to 120 feet. Some good size bass were caught by those casting small spinner and body baits close to shore.

Saginaw Bay: The area between the Saganing Bar and the Pinconning Bars continues to be the perch hot-spot for the inner bay. This area can be accessed from Eagle Bay Marina on the north end or Gambil’s Marina on the south end. Perch were also caught near sailboat buoy D, the Black Hole, the Spark Plug, northeast of Spoils Island and along the shipping channel near Buoys 18 & 22. A few perch were caught in eight to 10 feet straight off the mouth of the Quanicassee River.

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph: Weather has hampered fishing and few boats were able to get out. Perch fishing was very slow and pier fishing was slow.

St. Joseph River: Those trolling have caught a few salmon on spoons.

South Haven: Very few boats were able to fish this week due to the poor weather. Pier fishing was very slow this week. Pressure was also very low. Perch fishing was very slow this week.

Kalamazoo River: Night anglers caught catfish on crawlers and cut bait near Comstock. Salmon have moved closer to the river mouth as fish were caught out in 40 to 80 feet. A fair number of steelhead were caught off the mouth of Swan Creek when using crawlers under a bobber or drifting yarn on the bottom.

Black River: There is a few salmon being caught by anglers trolling spoons.

Grand Haven: Boat anglers found trout and salmon 35 to 100 feet down in 80 to 180 feet with orange, blue and green spoons as well as white or green flies. Pier anglers caught coho on glow spoons or live bait.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Had a small surge of coho up near the 6th Street Dam. Some fish were caught by shore anglers and others were taken by those trolling plugs.

Muskegon: When the weather allows, trout and salmon were caught by boat anglers fishing 45 to 100 feet down in 100 to 200 feet with orange or green spoons.

Whitehall: Boat anglers caught salmon 30 to 70 feet down in 70 to 140 feet. Pier anglers also caught a few salmon when casting glow spoons or jigs.

White Lake: Bluegill and perch fishing was good in 15 to 25 feet near the drop-offs. Try fishing near the bottom using wax worms or red worms.

White River: Chinook are starting to make their way up into the river and were entering Oceana County at Skeels Road.